An Offer That Cannot Be Refused
by quietandmellow
Summary: House gets a job offer from the University of Michigan when an old friend becomes Dean of Medicine there. He must decide if he should stay and try to be with Cuddy or if he should move on.
1. The Phone Call

**The Phone Call**

Cuddy was sitting at her desk when her phone rand.

"Hello?"

"Is this Dr. Cuddy?" The man on the voice asked her.

"Yes it is," Cuddy said.

"My name is Jack Buchanan. I am the Dean of Medicine at Michigan University."

"What can I do for you?" Cuddy asked him.

"I wanted to inform you that we have made a job offer to one of your doctors," he answered her. "I wanted to give you a little warning in case he ends up taking the job."

"What doctor is it?" Cuddy asked.

"Dr. House," Buchanan said. Cuddy froze when she heard this. Could another hospital actually be willing to hire House?

"What position are you offering him?" Cuddy asked.

"Head of Diagnostic and Research," Buchanan said.

"I don't think Dr. House will be interested," Cuddy said.

"He told us he would think about it," Buchanan said. Cuddy felt her heart drop. "That;s why I wanted to give you a heads-up in case you need to start looking for somebody else to replace him."

"Thanks," Cuddy said.

"Have a nice day," Buchanan said.

Cuddy sat there thinking for a minute. _Could House really be leaving?_ _Was it because I adopted Rachel?_

Cuddy saw Wilson walk by her door. She quickly got up and ran after him.

"Wilson," she said causing him to turn around.

"What's up?" Wilson asked knowing that something was wrong.

"Did House mention a job offer to you?"

"No," Wilson said. "I haven't seen him yet today. I will talk to him." Wilson knew that even though things had cooled down a little between House and Cuddy, they still had feelings for each other. He headed upstairs to track his friend down. He would not let him screw up a chance of happiness for him.


	2. The Best Friend Wants To Know

**The Best Friend Wants To Know**

House was in his office throwing his ball against the wall when Wilson came in. "You got a job offer and didn't tell me?" Wilson said.

"The wife _is_ always the last to know," House said.

"Are you gonna to take it?" Wilson asked.

"They are offering to pay me $400,000 a year. Plus, instead of clinic duty, all I have to do is write 10 medical journals a year about diagnostics."

"What about Cuddy?" Wilson asked.

"I think she still has to work in the clinic," House said.

"I mean about the two of you," Wilson said starting to get annoyed.

"There is not two of us."

"A couple weeks ago you two couldn't stay away from each other. What happened?"

"I don't know," House said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I was sure she would like the desk that I got for her, but she never even mentioned it. She actually distanced herself from me when I gave it to her."

"I was there when she first saw the desk and she loved it. You must have done something to screw it up."

"I usually do screw things up, but I usually know when I do," House said. "I know I did the boob-grab thing earlier, but if she loved the desk like you said, that probably wasn't it. I didn't even see her the rest of the day because of my case."

"Maybe you did something earlier and she found about it later that day."

"I can't think of anything I did that was so bad that she wouldn't even yell at me for it," House said.

"Are you sure this has nothing to do with Rachel?"

"She turned against me before she got her."

"Let me talk to her," Wilson said. "I will try to get it out of her. Don't go making any rash decisions before I get back."

Wilson went back to Cuddy's office.

"What did House say?" Cuddy asked when Wilson walked in.

"Why are you mad at him?" Wilson asked.

"What?" Cuddy asked.

"Why are you mad at House?"

"Who says I am mad at him?"

"He does," Wilson said. "What did he do to make you mad? I was sure you two were on the path to getting together and then all of a sudden you two barely spoke about non-case related stuff."

Cuddy now knew exactly what Wilson was talking about.

"You remember that night that I found out that he got me my old desk?" Cuddy asked.

"You were very happy about that and I thought that you would tell him that, but apparently you didn't."

"I was going to tell him, so I went to his office to thank him for it. When I got there, he was in there with a hooker." Wilson could tell that had really hurt Cuddy because he thought he could see some tears in her eyes, but she quickly fought them away.

"He must not have noticed you looking because he told me he had no idea why you would be mad. I think that is a very good reason to be mad, so if he had seen you, he would have remembered."

"I knew that even though I like House, he will never change," Cuddy said. "I can't be with someone that I cannot trust not to cheat on me."

"Are you sure what you saw was correct?"

"The woman was touching him in a 'come here' way and he wasn't exactly pushing her away."

"You should talk to House about it," Wilson said. "If it was a misunderstanding, you may be giving up a chance to be with him. I think House really likes you. I could tell by the way that he talked that he was upset that whatever was happening between you came to a screeching stop."

"It isn't just the two of us now," Cuddy said. "I have Rachel now. I don't know if House even wants kids. He comments every chance he gets about how I will suck as a mom."

"He is jealous that you are giving someone else attention that he wants," Wilson said. "Talk to him."

"You know he will say that he did not sleep with that woman," Cuddy said. "How will I know if he is lying or not?"

"Look into his eyes when he speaks and see if you can read him," Wilson said. "House hides a lot of his emotions, but if he really feels strongly about something, it is written all over his face." Cuddy sat there for a second playing with a rubber band. "Go Cuddy."

Cuddy took a deep breath and got up. "I hope you are right about a misunderstanding," Cuddy said.

"I hope I am right too," Wilson said. Cuddy left her office and headed to House's office. She was so nervous that she felt like vomiting. She really, really hoped that it was all just a misunderstanding. She gently knocked on his door. House caught his ball and nodded her in. He knew that Wilson must have gone directly to her. Cuddy closed the door and sat down in the chair in front of House's desk. House just looked at her and said nothing. Cuddy also did not say anything. She had really hoped the last couple of weeks that it had all been a misunderstanding. She was afraid she might find out now that she was right about the hooker. She knew that she would most likely cry if that happened.

"May I help you?" House finally asked after a few minutes of silence. Cuddy looked at him and took a deep breath.

_A/N: I haven't been getting many reviews for this, so if you like it, please let me know._


	3. The Conversation

**The Conversation**

"I have a question for you and I need you to answer it honestly," Cuddy said.

"Would I ever lie?" House asked.

"I am serious House," Cuddy said. "I need the truth."

"Ask away," House said. "I can't guarantee that you will like the truth, though."

"You remember the night that you gave me my desk?" Cuddy asked.

"How could I forget? I spent a lot of money to get someone their old desk and they didn't even thank me."

"I really liked the desk," Cuddy said.

"Thank you for the thank you a couple weeks late," House said.

"Forget the desk," Cuddy said annoyed. "That night I did come to thank you for the desk."

"I thought you told me to forget about the desk," House said.

"Shut up House," Cuddy said. "I am trying to have a serious conversation with you. I should have known that you can't even sit down for 5 minutes to talk about us." Cuddy got up to leave.

"Cuddy, wait," House said. "What is your question?"

Cuddy turned back around and looked at him. "That night I did come to thank you for the desk," Cuddy stated. "I saw you with a woman when I did come."

"That's a funny story," House said laughing. "I had her pretend like she was dead to freak out Kutner."

"I saw her in here flirting with you," Cuddy said not caring about his pranks.

"She couldn't resist my hotness," House said.

"Could you resist hers?" Cuddy asked.

"You think I slept with her?" House asked.

"I know that you love your hookers."

"She is a theater student here at the college, not a hooker," House said. "_That's_ why you are mad at me? You think I slept with a hooker? You know that I have had hookers before."

"But not the same day that I tell you that I think we might have a future together," Cuddy said.

"Why didn't you ask me about this before?" House asked. "Did you think it would be more dramatic to wait until I have another job offer so I have to decide between it and you?"

Cuddy flung her hands up in the air. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe I was upset? I thought that a guy that I have feelings for had slept with a hooker after he went out of his way to get me a gift."

"I didn't sleep with her Cuddy," House said. "Would it really have shocked you if I had, though? You know more than anybody that I am a major screw-up."

"I guess I was hoping you would try harder not to be one for me," Cuddy said. "I guess I was wrong."

"I will never make you happy," House said. "Even if I don't do anything to screw it up, you will always have to worry and that will make you unhappy. You don't trust me."

"I want to trust you."

"I want you to trust me," House said.

"Are you going to take this job?" Cuddy asked.

"I don't know," House said. "It might be better for me to move on." House saw Cuddy's eyes start to water.

"I want you to be happy House," Cuddy said. "If going back to Michigan makes you happy, you should do it."

"I don't know what will make me happy," House said.

"You need to figure it out," Cuddy said. "If you wait too long, it might be too late." Cuddy walked out of his office.

House stayed looking at the door after Cuddy had left. House knew that being with Cuddy might make him happy. He also knew that if he got her and lost her, it would devastate him. Plus, now she had Rachel. He didn't know if Cuddy would want him to be the father of her child and run the risk of hurting her.

He knew going to Michigan might also make him happy. The new Dean of Medicine was an old friend that he used to love to hang out with. Also, it would be like a fresh start. Everybody would not know about him getting arrested for drugs and all the crazy stuff he had done here.

Of course by staying in Princeton, he already had his team. Moving meant having to get a new team. House didn't really think that he could get all 4 of his team to move to Ann Arbor with him. He also didn't think he could get Wilson to move away from Princeton and his practice.

At Michigan, though, he could meet knew people and maybe start over again. House thought this way everyone would not just assume that he is a jerk.

House then thought about Cuddy. _Would I really be happy if I do not get to see her face everyday?_ Of course, House knew that he could probably meet someone new in Michigan. He didn't really like the idea of Cuddy meeting someone knew, though. He would always feel guilty if she met someone who ended up hurting her and Rachel.

House dropped his head down and started lightly banging it on his desk. He knew that he really had to think this over or he could wind-up even more miserable.

After leaving House's office, Cuddy headed back to her office. She wished the conversation had gone differently with House. She had hoped that she would go in there and he would say that he never slept with that woman and he wanted to be with her. Instead, she got him telling her that he didn't sleep with that woman, but he doesn't know if he wants to be with her. Even worse, he didn't know if he wanted to stay in Princeton.

**********

Cuddy wiped off the few stray tears that fell down her face and then she got back to work. She glanced up at a picture of Rachel and smiled. She was happy that she got her baby. She now knew that she wanted something that could make her happy. She could feel him slowly slipping away from her, though. Cuddy knew that she could not let House go without a fight. She needed to come up with a plan.

**********

"What are you doing?" 13 asked when she walked into House's office and saw him banging his head against his desk.

"Having a party," House said.

"I just saw Dr. Cuddy walking down the hallway. How did you upset her this time?"

"I joked with her that 24 was canceled," House said. "Did you need something?"

"Our patient is getting worse," 13 said. "Taub had to incubate."

"I leave you guys alone with the patient for 10 minutes and he almost dies," House said. "What are you going to do when I leave?"

"You're leaving?" 13 asked.

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	4. The People Want Him To Stay

**The People Want Him To Stay**

"Are you going to miss me?" House asked. "I think Foreman can get your mind off it."

"Where are you going?" 13 asked.

"Lake Titicaca," House said. "Then I am heading to Bangkok."

"What about the team?"

"You guys can come too," House said. "I am not paying, though."

"I came here to work for you."

"Foreman can handle it," House said.

"He is smart but he is not the famous House," 13 said.

"I am done with the conversation," House said. House and 13 made it the rest of the way to the patient's room in silence.

"What did you do Kutner?" House asked him when he came in.

"What?" Kutner asked. "Nothing."

"Fine. What did someone else do?"

"We have only run basic tests," Taub said. "Something is killing him fast."

"Review all of the test results from the ones that we have already taken," House said. "If nothing shows on that, starting the testing again." House walked out of the patient's room.

"Why do you think that he thought I screwed up?" Kutner asked.

"He is just messing with you," Foreman said. "Let's get to the lab and rush the results." They all started walking to the lab.

"Has House mentioned to you anything about a job offer?" 13 asked Foreman.

"A job offer for me or him?"

"Him," 13 said.

"House got a job offer?" Kutner asked.

"Maybe," 13 said. "He might have been joking."

"House won't leave," Foreman said. "Cuddy lets him get away with murder and Wilson is here."

"Maybe he got fired," Taub said. "Maybe they are letting him 'resign.'"

"Cuddy would save him," 13 said.

"Just in case, I am going to start being a lot nicer to Foreman," Taub said.

"If they even let me be his replacement," Foreman said. "If House got fired, they would not want one of us to replace him."

"I think we need to talk to Wilson," Taub said.

That night at midnight, House started tapping on Cuddy's door with his cane. Cuddy quickly jumped out of bed when she heard it because she did not want Rachel to wake up. She looked through the peep-hole, even though she already knew that House was the only one to come over at this time of night, but she wanted to make sure.

"What?" Cuddy asked when she opened the door.

"I need to temporarily kill my patient," House said.

"Temporarily?" Cuddy asked as she let House in.

"Anything longer than that is considered illegal. I am assuming that you will only lie for me once in court."

"That is a good assumption," Cuddy said. House continued to explain to her what he needed to do until Cuddy signed the papers to okay it.

House looked Cuddy up and down as she signed the papers. She was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. "I see that having a kid has made you get rid of your sexy nightwear," House said.

"It has," Cuddy said. "You don't need to pop up in the middle of the night anymore."

"Where would be the fun in that?" House asked. House walked to the front door but stopped before he opened it. "You would miss me if I stopped coming." House opened the door and left. Cuddy knew that he was right. She would miss him if he wasn't here to pop up on her anymore.

Cuddy looked out the window and watched him drive off. She let out a sigh and walked back to her room. She wished that she could have told him to stay. Cuddy laid back down in bed and closed her eyes to make sure that the tears did not start to fall.

House drove back to the hospital. He wished he could have stayed with Cuddy. House knew that he would miss his late night visits if he left.

The next morning, Wilson found House asleep in his chair in his office. "Wake up!" Wilson yelled to him.

"You have five seconds to get out before I murder you," House said as he opened his eyes.

"You love Cuddy," Wilson said.

"Did someone write that on my forehead as I sleep or something?" House asked rubbing his forehead.

"I can tell you do House," Wilson said. "I know that you like to be miserable, but do not leave Princeton and move away from her and make yourself even more miserable."

"So you want me to stay here and make her even more miserable?' House asked.

"I want you to stay here and make her happy," Wilson said. "Put in a little effort House. You want this and for some reason she wants this. You always take risks. Take a risk on her."

"I am done with your lecture now," House said. "I have a visitor." House pointed to the man walking down the hall towards his office door. "I am sure that he is coming to thank me for saving his son."

The man pushed opened House's door as hard as he could. "Which one of you is House?" He said angrily.

"Neither," House said. "He got fired this morning. He is probably in Canada by now."

"Good," the man said. "That man is a jackass." The man then stormed back out of House's office.

"What did you do to him?" Wilson asked.

"His son told me that he was gay but was afraid to come out because of his father. Now I can see why."

"So why is the dad mad at you?"

"I told him to stop seeking daddy's approval and come out. Apparently, the dad did not like that."

"You better stay away from the patient until he is released," Wilson said. "If that man finds you still work here, he might shot you."

"Been there. Done that," House said.

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